Simon Head: It simply has to be McGregor
The phrases “Strike while the iron is hot” and “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth” sum things up pretty well for Masvidal. Sitting within touching distance of “Gamebred” is the biggest payday of his career, and he’d be crazy not to shoot his shot and go for it.
The thinking is pretty simple. Masvidal is a prizefighter, and if you’re a prizefighter, the aim of the game has to be to fight for the biggest prizes possible every time you compete. And when it comes to his prize purse, he won’t get anything bigger than he receives for fighting Conor McGregor.
Unlike some “money fights,” Masvidal vs. McGregor is also a realistic possibility. With McGregor’s quest for the UFC lightweight title hitting a brick wall called Khabib Nurmagomedov, the Irishman is wisely keeping his options open by openly mentioning his interest in fights with Masvidal and UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman. And while beating Usman would see Masvidal reach the top of the sport, the Miami native admitted the UFC title will always be there. A fight with McGregor, however, will not. And that’s why McGregor has to be his first-choice target as he heads into 2020.
There aren’t many fighters with the charisma, the form and the fighting style to dovetail with McGregor as an ideal dance partner, but Masvidal has the full package. He headlined Madison Square Garden and won, he has a stellar year of fights on his recent form sheet, and his ability to get people interested in a fight should make a potential clash with McGregor as fascinating in the lead-up to the fight as the action inside the cage on fight night.
It would be the biggest payday, the biggest-name opponent and the most-watched fight he ever competes in. And it’s a fight that he would, on paper at least, hold a number of key advantages. It’s a slam-dunk pick for his next fight, and one that would bring the MMA world to a standstill if it came to fruition.
Next page – Nolan King: A sensible money fight doesn’t come around every day
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